


The Wrong Bride At The Altar

by StellarLibraryLady



Series: Star Trek The Gentle Seasons Series [24]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Adamant McCoy, Bickering, Developing Relationship, Diplomatic Kirk, Explicit Language, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Innuendo, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining McCoy, Pining Spock, Racial slurs, Star Trek Humor, Unrequited Love, Wedding Fluff, idioms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 13:06:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11464206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarLibraryLady/pseuds/StellarLibraryLady
Summary: On the day of McCoy's marriage to a German scientist, a pining Spock wonders if he should have been brave enough to tell McCoy of his secret feelings for him.





	1. I Don't Know Why I'm Even Here...But I Had To Be

**Author's Note:**

> Esperata is writing something very tense and needs some fluff to read. Of course, it wouldn't be my guys without a little bit of angst to go with it.
> 
> We both seem to be writing a lot of fics about weddings, but that's okay. July seems even better than June for weddings this year, anyway.

He never should have come here today. Why did he even think it was going to be a good idea to show up on this day when McCoy was going out of his life forever? Why put himself through needless heartache when he had a carefully laid out excuse for his absence, an excuse that no one had questioned? Why be a willing witness as McCoy pledged his troth to someone else on his wedding day?

But, nonetheless, despite his logical side arguing the most reasonable points possible, here Spock stood in the room where McCoy had undoubtedly changed his clothing fairly recently. The room showed the signs of frenzied activity: a discarded sock here, a drawer half-opened there. A mini tornado could not have done so much damage so quickly A chaotic scene, indeed. Much like McCoy, himself, Spock decided. 

Spock touched the uniform hanging on the closet door and smiled sadly as he straightened the tunic so it would not wrinkle. McCoy was still being careless with his things, and Spock studied the uniform while bittersweet memories flowed through his mind. How much of Spock's life had been connected to this uniform and the man who had worn it.

The everyday blues with the medical insignia were so familiar to Spock that the uniform was almost like McCoy‘s second skin. But seeing the uniform now was almost more than Spock could take. It was as if McCoy was already lost to him. The moment was so heart-rending because Spock would not see McCoy wearing that uniform anymore. It looked so empty even now without McCoy’s body in it. Without McCoy’s erratic personality, the garments were just clothes, and rather limp clothes, at that. The blue was not as vibrant and the insignia did not look as authoritative. They had lost their life when McCoy had set them aside.

Granted, no other clothing would ever look as natural on McCoy, either, as the everyday blues he had worn on the Enterprise. For after today, he would don a different uniform. Because McCoy was not only getting married, he was leaving Starfleet, also. His ‘bride’ was a strong, exacting woman who had decided that she and McCoy were destined for other careers. Spock did not like the woman, but he could understand McCoy’s hunger for a stable relationship. Apparently, McCoy was willing to give up about everything, career and friends included, for another chance at a lasting marriage.

Spock idly wondered what the bride was forfeiting, but then he chided himself. He was being petty. Surely, McCoy wasn't sacrificing his manhood just to be married to someone.

What also troubled Spock was knowing that McCoy left without understanding what Spock thought about him. McCoy had gotten familiar like an old shoe, and Spock thought of him as part of his life on the Enterprise, much as the computers and the engines were. Spock had thought that McCoy would always be there with him on the Enterprise, something like a chronic cough or an unsightly mole on the chin would always be with him. McCoy was something somewhat ugly, yet somehow beloved in its familiarity, something that should always be around to offer its comfort to Spock. 

McCoy had always been there before with Spock, during all of those years, on all of those landing missions and during all of those adventures together on strange worlds. Always, McCoy was cussing him out, keeping him honest, befriending him, loving him, never realizing how important he was to Spock, both professionally and personally. Because Spock wasn’t hardwired to talk about feelings, he never let McCoy know how much he was loved.

And now since they were going to be separated forever, Spock was realizing that McCoy was not only loved by him, but beloved. Actually, much more involved than that, even. Spock was finally bringing himself to the point that he could admit that he was in love with Dr. McCoy.

A lot of good it would do for Spock to realize his feelings now, for McCoy was no longer available to listen.

Perhaps, somewhere during all of that time spent working together, Spock should have tried to change in order to let McCoy know of his interest in him. But it had always seemed more important to Spock to keep his dignity, to win the argument, and to lord it over the sputtering medic. But what was any good of dignity and a stiff upper lip if his heart was breaking now and soon would be totally devastated? Pride would offer only cold comfort to Spock then. But it was a dish he richly deserved.

Miranda had come out of nowhere to sweep McCoy off his feet. Spock knew men did that to women. Only now did he realize that women could do that to men. A gentler age might have said that she had set her cap for McCoy. To use another expression that Spock was finding appropriate: she hooked McCoy and reeled him in. 

Miranda was cool and efficient and probably should have gone after Spock. Their personalities were more suited. But opposites attract, and she had snapped up McCoy as eagerly as a hungry carp at sunset snaps up tiny insects littered over the surface of a deep pool. Miranda Harmes was a scientist from a German research group stationed nearby on a five year mission of their own. 

Widowed young, she was dedicated to her career and had only seemed to have taken up with McCoy for companionship and, as Spock suspected, for ambition. McCoy’s credentials and good looks would make him a suitable colleague and trophy husband. And McCoy had seemed thrilled, almost like a little puppy, to follow along after her. Was McCoy that desperate for companionship that he had obediently followed Miranda to further his career?

Spock, not knowing that much about human relationships, nonetheless thought that a marriage between McCoy and Miranda would be a mistake. Miranda was contented enough to have McCoy around. Spock felt that she would equally be alright with the situation if McCoy wasn’t around. Another trophy husband would appear. McCoy, though, was flattered by her attention and welcomed someone in his life. The doctor seemed to need someone to take care of and to have someone take care of him. He needed to be in a relationship, but was it really the right one for him?

Spock was only now beginning to realize how much McCoy’s marriage and his leaving would affect Spock himself. McCoy had been a mainstay in his life for quite awhile now, and the loss of him would put a huge hole in Spock’s routine. So much of a hole, in fact, that Spock did not want to be constantly reminded of his absence. The only solution for Spock was not to stay around the places where he had always seen McCoy. If McCoy needed a fresh start, then so did Spock. Not even Jim Kirk and the Enterprise could persuade him to stay.

He supposed he would leave Starfleet entirely now and just go back to his father’s people. After all, they needed him, and he always had a future with them. Besides, it was his duty. He had enjoyed his years of service with Star Fleet; now he would be of service to the Vulcans. A life spent in the service to others should surely be counted as a life well spent, shouldn’t it? What difference if he didn’t feel complete inside? He would simply have to learn to compensate.

In the distance he could hear people talking. The wedding guests must be arriving, finding their seats, and waiting for the ceremony to start. He really needed to leave before he was discovered--

The door opened suddenly and McCoy entered. His grin was genuine when he saw Spock‘s back.

“Spock!” 

Spock froze. Too late! Caught! 

“I didn’t know you were going to be here today.”

“Doctor,” Spock said calmly as he turned. He’d managed to grab a quick breath before he’d turned. It wasn’t much, but at least it was something. Boredom and almost disdain claimed his face.

His coolness lasted for only the millisecond that it took for his eyes to fall on McCoy and take in the vision he made.

McCoy was beautiful. Plain and simply, beautiful. The dress uniform fit him perfectly, and Spock had never seen him look so contented. He would make a handsome bridegroom.

And the face, the face. The sparkling eyes. The engaging grin with just a little bit of the imp showing through. Had McCoy always been that enchanting, or had Spock forgotten to notice for a long time?

McCoy tilted his head. “Is there a problem, Mr. Spock?”

The formal title hurt, after all of those years of McCoy not acknowledging the courtesy. Jim Kirk tried through example to get McCoy to use the title. Why had the doctor chosen today to obey? It was almost as if McCoy was noticing the wedge that was surely coming between them.

Spock gathered himself up. “No, nothing.” He straightened his shoulders. “Well, are you ready for the grand occasion?” Spock managed to mumble and thought how asinine it sounded.

“I think so. I'm glad you could make it, after all.”

“My plans changed.” Why had he said that?! Now he was committed to attending the wedding of a man he couldn’t have for his own.

“Now you and Jim can both stand up with me,” McCoy said with pleasure as he bounced on his toes. "You both can buoy me up!"

No! He couldn’t do that! Watching would be bad enough, but participating in the ceremony?! It would be as if he himself was giving McCoy away.

“You would want me to stand up with you?”

“Well, of course! We’re friends, aren’t we?!”

“I never really knew,” Spock mumbled as he looked down.

“Spock! Of course, we’re friends!” McCoy averred as he squeezed Spock’s arm. “We might have argued, but I always thought that we were friends.” He frowned as he considered. “In fact, there for awhile, I thought that we were more than friends.”

Spock looked startled. “What do you mean, Doctor?”

“Oh, I know that it was just something that was a figment of my imagination." He released Spock's arm and turned aside. "Besides, it was one-sided. I got to reading too much into stuff that went on between us and imagining things that just weren't true.”

“What do you mean, Doctor?” Spock repeated.

McCoy turned back to Spock, but didn't quite look at him. “There was a desperation to the tension between us sometimes as if we were frustrated about something else, something that neither one of us was willing to recognize. Something, ah, sexual.” He ran his hand nervously down the back of his hair. “Ah, like a kind of sexual attraction between us.” He grinned nervously as he looked up at Spock‘s face. “Don't look so wild. It's not such a stretch to imagine something good between you and me. I've imagined it enough times myself." He bit his lips together. "I should’ve known better, though. I know that you have no place in your life for feelings, for a relationship, or for passion, of all things. I knew that you wouldn't be interested, but still I thought about it."

Spock frowned and nearly said something.

"Passion. That’s one of those frailties that catches us humans up and makes our lives miserable.” He smiled wistfully at Spock. "So, when Miranda came along and showed some interest in me, I decided to grab at whatever happiness that I could find with her. I couldn't wait for pipe dreams forever, Spock, so I decided to put all of that behind me and be an adult. Miranda doesn't set the world on fire for me, but she will be fine for companionship in my old age.“

Spock was torn. The words would not come. But he knew that what McCoy planned to do was wrong, for three people.

"You’re better off without letting it eat a hole in your life and your heart," McCoy continued. "You don‘t need that kind of angst in your life. Feel happy that you aren’t plagued by base emotions like that.” With a smile, he slapped Spock’s arm, then stepped back.

Spock didn‘t know what to say, but he knew he had to say something, or his opportunity would be lost. And, suddenly, he wanted an opportunity! 

“But, what if I am?” Spock blundered, making a hash of it all. He was not good at this sort of thing. Were Earthlings just born with romantic skills?

“Sorry?” McCoy asked without understanding. “What do you mean?”

“I am saying that I am being plagued by base emotions like that, also.”

“Like what?” McCoy echoed stupidly.

“Caring. Concern. Regard.” He paused for emphasis. “Love.”

“Oh.” McCoy frowned and gave him look of heartfelt sympathy. “Oh, hell, man, I’m sorry. Who’s the unfeeling jerk who isn’t returning your feelings?”

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to tell McCoy the simple truth. All Spock could do was to stare stupidly at McCoy in return. He had no reference for this. His heart was pounding in his throat, and all skills of oratory had deserted him. He hoped that McCoy could somehow understand.

And, amazingly, McCoy did. Comprehension dawned on him. “Oh, hell! Are you saying what I think you‘re meaning?!” 

Spock gave a shrug that showed more in his eyes than his shoulders, as if to say that he couldn’t explain it, but there it was.

McCoy closed his eyes and shook his head slightly to clear it. “Are you shitting me?! Are you really and truly shitting me?!” he demanded with a hard edge to this voice. “Lord in Heaven, I hope that you’re shitting me!” 

“I shit you not, Leonard.”

“At any other time that would be the funniest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” McCoy uttered without any trace of mirth in his voice. “But not today. Not now.“ He shook his head, trying to clear it further or trying to be blessed somehow with understanding, or both. “Why are you telling me this now? On this day? On this day when I’m going to get married to someone else in half an hour?”

“I do not know. I had not even planned to be here.” Then Spock knew that he had just told a lie, and he knew he had to correct that. “I believe that I did plan to be here. And I believe that I wanted you to know how I felt about you. So I had to see you. To tell you, even though it will do neither of us any good.”

“Hell, isn’t it?“ McCoy’s smile was strained, though. “Now you know what the rest of us poor saps go through! And you caused it to yourself! Do you mean to say that through all of the arguing and the bickering and the downright pissing contests between us that tried the patience of everyone else on the Enterprise who had to listen to us, it never dawned on you that something else was going on between us besides the arguing and the bickering and the downright pissing contests?! It never dawned on you to say something until now?!” 

Spock shrugged. “ I was not going to lose you until today.”

“Can’t argue with logic like that,” McCoy mumbled. Then he ran his hand through his hair and gave Spock the shock of his life. “What are we going to do about this whole situation now?” he demanded.

Spock looked stunned. “It is a problem?”

“Well, hell, yes, it’s a problem!” McCoy barked with flaring eyes.

“But I thought that you would just send me on my way again.”

“Now, how in the blue blazin’ hell could I even begin to do that?! It would be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done, especially since I love you back the way I do, and all!”

Spock blinked. “You love me?”

“Too! Also! I’m assuming that’s what that whole soul bearing confession from you has all been about! You love me?! Well?! Wasn’t it?!”

“Well. Yes.” He looked at McCoy with wonder. “You understood that I was declaring my love to you?”

“Hell, yes! I‘m not Vulcan! Innuendo does not puzzle me. I understand love! And all the various shades of meaning between it and hate! And pining! I understand pining, too! I‘ve spent half of my life pining! And the other half regretting,” he admitted in misery. “And I’m tired of doing both of them. That's why I was going to settle for a loveless marriage with Miranda. At least I'd have company.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

“For starters, I sure as hell can’t get married to Miranda in half--” He glanced at his watch. “Twenty-one minutes,” he corrected himself.

“She will be disappointed.”

“She’d be more disappointed to find herself married to someone who’s in love with someone else!”

Spock blinked. McCoy had said it again. Was Spock giving in to wishful thinking? Or did Dr. McCoy really and truly love him?


	2. I’ve Heard Of Spur-Of-The-Moment Romances, But This Is Ridiculous

Spock frowned. “But we cannot be in love, Doctor. We have never even kissed.”

McCoy frowned back. “You think that’s all there is to it?! Sex, sex, sex?!”

“Well, yes, I was hoping that it was maybe at least a part of it.”

“A part of it, yes! And a damn important part! But there’s more to a relationship than the physical side of it. Learning to get along, for example. Taking care of each other. Being considerate. Listening. Just being company at the end of the day.”

“Leonard, we are none of those things to each other now.”

“I think you’ll find that you’re mistaken! We’re all of that! Probably more than we even realize. I’ll admit that sometimes it has a way of getting a little convoluted, but it’s still there. We’re a helluva lot of company for each other! Plus, we keep each other honest. And that’s a helluva chore, seeing as we‘re both as slippery as a bushel basket full of spring eels trying to get back to their watery home! Hell, let’s go get married, so those folks out there don’t get tired of waiting! Then we’ll come back here and talk about this some more!”

But Spock was mystified. “Is that really the way that couples generally proceed in a relationship?”

“Spock! I just asked you to marry me! Yea or nay?!”

“Well, I--”

“Well if you’re going to be all wishy washy about this--” McCoy struck out with heat in his words.

Spock was more mystified than ever. “Would you actually be willing to marry me?”

“You can’t asked me! I asked you first!”

“That was a marriage proposal?” Spock asked with amazement. “What I just asked you?”

“Well, hell, yes! You have to be careful what you say to someone! Something like that can be pretty binding! Especially when someone else is listening to hear you say something like that!”

Spock‘s mystification deepened. “You were?”

“Hell, yes! I have been for a long time, but you don’t pick up well on hints! I‘m not exactly stupid, you know! I know a good thing when I see it! And you‘ve always looked damn good to me, even when we were arguing.” McCoy cooled and even looked a little sheepish. “Especially when we were arguing, if I was honest about it. Sometimes, I even considered shutting you up by grabbing you and kissing you as hard as I could. Then I‘d realize that it would‘ve been more for my benefit than for yours.”

“But you never said anything--”

“I‘m not exactly bright about it, either, or brave. I can be daunted pretty easily. You can be rather intimidating, you know.”

“Sorry.”

“It‘s one of your defenses, but that‘s an argument for another day. But, as for now, just know that I had cold feet when it came to speaking up about my feelings.”

“If your feet are cold, I can indeed sympathize.”

“Not that kind of cold feet,” McCoy muttered. “That discussion can be for another day, also. In the meantime, just realize that I wasn‘t as brave as I could have been about my feelings,” McCoy admitted. 

“I have always found you to be extremely brave, Doctor.”

“Well, thank you, Spock, that’s awfully nice of you to say.”

“You have not always been as careful as you could have been with your bravery.”

“Are you saying that I’m foolhardy, that I take foolish chances?!”

“Well… perhaps a little.”

“That’s better.”

“But, still, you are very brave and very discerning in your decisions.”

““I’m not perfect, despite what you might be thinking.”

“I have never thought that you were perfect, Leonard.”

“Well, burst my bubble about that illusion! That’s never going to win you any prizes in the sweet talk department, you know. You are going to have to brush yourself up along those lines.”

“Is there a special brush for that?” Spock inquired. "I may be interested in acquiring one."

“Oh, yeah,” McCoy muttered, giving up on the idioms. “Several.”

Spock looked puzzled. “Really? It is amazing that I have never heard of them.”

“There’s a lot of wonders in this universe, that is for certain” McCoy mumbled, full well knowing that he was only miring himself in deeper. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just forget about the brushes, okay? Just forget I said anything about brushes.”

Spock didn’t understand idioms, but he was learning to gauge when Earthlings were dangerously close to losing any semblance of civility. “Alright,” he said cautiously. After a moment, he ventured another question that had been raised from McCoy’s recent disclosures. “May I ask about something else, then?”

McCoy released the bridge of his nose and gave Spock an over-sweet smile. Surely there would be a special reward for patience in the next world, if not in this one. “Sure. Fire away.” He tilted his head even as Spock began to pose a different question. “No. You don't need to worry about discharging a weapon. Just, just ask your question. Alright?”

“There are prizes for sweet talk?”

“Oh, yeah!” McCoy answered with more enthusiasm.

“And you do this sweet talk, also?”

“Oh, yeah,” McCoy repeated. “It’s all part of this power package I’m carrying around with me.”

“I do not see any package that you are carrying.”

“You aren’t looking far enough down,” McCoy growled, losing patience with Spock‘s trouble with idioms. “My eyes aren’t the only things about me that are interesting, you know! Use your imagination, Spock! I know that you have one! What‘s below my belt buckle?! Just take a moment, and think. What could possibly be interesting below my belt buckle?!”

Spock blinked at McCoy’s anger, then Spock sucked his breath in through his open mouth as he suddenly understood McCoy’s words.

“Yeah, Vulcan. That.”

“Hmm,” Spock hummed and wisely dropped the subject.

“Guys,” Jim Kirk cautioned as he ducked into the room. “We can hear you arguing outside. The wedding guests are getting antsy, not to mention Miranda. They’re all thinking that there won’t be a wedding here today because the groom has gotten cold feet.“ 

“I suggest that you don’t use that idiom, Jim. The Vulcan is having trouble with them today, especially that one.“

Then Kirk realized whom he was seeing in the room besides McCoy. “Spock! Hi! I thought you couldn’t make it today. Great to see you, buddy!”

“My plans changed, Captain. Rather radically, I might add. Now it appears that I may be getting married today.”

“You and Bones? Both getting married? On the same day?! Wow! What are the odds about something like that happening?”

“Not as great as you’d think, Jim,” McCoy mumbled in reply. “Seeing as Spock and I are talking about getting married to each other.”

“Each other? Each other?!” Kirk sputtered. “What the hell?! Married?! To each other?! How in the hell did something like that happen?! You were barely speaking to each other two days ago! And now this?!” He swung from one to the other with stunned looks. “I didn‘t realize that you two were even that great of friends! And now marriage?! Why didn‘t you say something about this?! I would‘ve been interested, you know! I am kind of friends with both of you, aren‘t I?!”

“Of course, you are. But we’re just getting it all figured out for ourselves.“ 

“Wait a minute! I’m not losing both of you, am I?! It was bad enough to lose Bones, but Spock, too?!“

“That might be all off, Jim. I‘ll probably be staying on the Enterprise.” He glanced at Spock. “We, ah, probably both will be staying. I guess I kinda gotta consider his plans now, too.“

Kirk shook McCoy’s hand and slapped his shoulder. “Oh, hell, Bones! That would be great news!“

McCoy saw tears in Kirk’s eyes. “You never said too much about my leaving the Enterprise, Jim.“

“I didn’t want to interfere with your plans, Bones. I wanted you to do what would make you happy. And if that meant losing you, well, so be it!“ Kirk threw his arms around McCoy. “And now I won’t be losing you! I could kiss you!“

"Only if Spock allows it. And he might be the jealous type."

"I'm gonna chance it!" And Jim Kirk planted a big kiss on McCoy's cheek.

McCoy patted Kirk’s back and glanced toward the door. “Watch it, Jim. The wedding guests will be getting antsy again. They can probably hear YOU hollering now.”

Kirk pulled out of McCoy‘s arms. “But Spock can’t get married today! There’s blood tests, and the license, and, and all sort of stuff to get straightened out! Nothing’s in his name. Besides, he’s never registered his colors yet. Who‘d know what to buy him for presents if he isn‘t registered anywhere?”

“His colors?!” McCoy exploded. “His colors?! What the hell does Spock care about colors of bath towels or the latest in crystal patterns?! All he cares about is having something besides his cupped hands to drink out of! What does he care if a towel is a soft pink color or sage green?! All he wants is something thirsty to dry off his wet butt!”

“Actually, Doctor, I do have a preference for deeper shades--”

“Oh, this is going to be a problem, I can see that now. It’ll never work with us, Spock. I’m a spring bouquet kind of guy, myself.”

Kirk gave him a look of incredulity. “Are you for real, McCoy?! Really?! Pastels?! They‘d show every stain! Anybody could tell you that much!”

“That is true, Doctor.”

McCoy shrugged. “Call me crazy. I just happen to like lavender. On the other hand, I’m just thinking I can make the Vulcan forget all about crystal patterns and colors of bath towels. I‘ll get him to thinking about something else.”

“I am not that besotted by love for you,” Spock snipped. “It will be my home, also. I will want my preferences considered, too.”

“I plan to keep you so busy in bed that you won’t even think about anything else. And the hell you aren‘t besotted by love for me! I‘ve never seen you acting so crazy! Coming in here with all kinds of admissions, stirring me up on my wedding day! Not that I‘m objecting, mind you, but this isn’t like you. Why, you‘re acting like you‘re thinking with your penis! What’s happened to your annoying logic?!”

“I am inflamed by love, Leonard.”

“You’re crazier than blue blazin’ hell!”

“Guys. Language,” Kirk admonished with his face reddening.

“The guests can’t understand what we’re yelling, Jim, just that we’re yelling.”

“I can understand.”

McCoy frowned. “We’re shocking you?! You?!”

“Actually, Doctor, I believe that it is just you who is yelling the very descriptive words. Captain Kirk is showing an amazing amount of restraint, and so am I.”

“Don’t you even try to say that you’re Innocence Personified, Vulcan! You’re the one who’s gotten me stirred up, coming in here at the Eleventh Hour with declarations of unrequited love for me! What if my libido starts making plans for certain bedroom activities with you as the lucky recipient?!”

“Bones,” Kirk reproved again. “Language.”

“What did I say?” McCoy wanted to know. “There wasn’t one cuss word in that sentence, or in the other one. Oh, there might have a ‘hell’ or two, here and there, but nothing that really counts. Besides, I didn’t elaborate about how I was going to be keeping the Vulcan busy in bed. Now, that, might get X-rated!”

“You didn’t have to elaborate!” Kirk answered. “I’ve been in bed before with a desirable person. I know that you two won‘t be talking about quilt patterns.” 

“You don’t know,” McCoy grumbled. “I expect that I’ll have to teach him a lot.”

“Do not be so certain about that, Doctor,” Spock spoke up in a snit. “I have had sex education.”

“You don’t learn that sort of thing from a textbook, Vulcan!”

“I have a good imagination.”

“Just so you have a good sense of adventure!”

“Guys!” Kirk admonished. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea, after all.”

“Why not?” McCoy wanted to know. “I think we can make it work.”

“And I think you two have a lot to discuss before you get married.”

“But the guests are expecting a marriage,” McCoy declared stubbornly.

“They are expecting a party, Bones. We can give them at least that much.”

McCoy gave Spock a look laced with sparks. “What if I don’t want to wait?”

Spock tried to fight it, but he still beamed with pride. He looked like a benevolent shepherd or a favorite uncle gone to seed.

“Bones. You two gotta wait. It makes as much sense as anything else. I know I’m confused, and I’m certain that the wedding guests will be, also.” Kirk squared his shoulders. “Alright, you two. Come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“To face the minister, and the wedding guests, and McCoy’s fiance.”

 

Out front, a few moments later, Jim Kirk ushered Spock and McCoy to the front of the congregation and they looked out at the curious wedding guests staring back at them. Now what, all of those faces seemed to be asking the new arrivals.

Kirk gave the guests a sweet smile. “Good afternoon. Nice to see all of you here today. Nice day for a wedding, isn’t it?“ he asked nervously. “You may have been wondering what has been going on. Well, it’s kind of a crazy story.” 

The wedding guests stirred, and some even sat forward in interest.

Kirk looked back at his friends and faced the audience again, but with a more composed face. “And it’s kind of a wonderful story, too. You see, two people fell in love and didn’t realize it until they were going to lose each other forever. And that’s what’s finally brought them together. So, if you’ll come back a week from today, I promise you that you will witness the joining of two wonderful people.” He smiled back at Spock and McCoy. “Two wonderful people who just happen to be my best friends. And I couldn’t be happier that they fell in love with each other.”

A shocked buzz went through the audience as the wedding guests checked with their neighbors to see if they’d heard correctly.

“Really, Leonard?” Miranda asked, suddenly beside him. She didn‘t look that much like a bride in her burgundy skirt suit and matching beret over her dark pageboy, but it fit her personality exactly. So did the cold-looking silver earrings clumped uncomfortably against her earlobes. “You’re jilting me at the altar? For a man?” She gave Spock a stripping look, up and down. "Who is green?“ She didn’t seem that upset, actually, just annoyed.

“I’m sorry, Miranda,“ McCoy answered sheepishly. “I can’t help it. I love him, and he loves me back. And I don‘t care if he is green, or a man. He’s the one I want, and I‘m going by what my heart is telling me to do.”

“Then Heaven help you, Leonard.” She glanced at Spock. “Both of you. I sincerely hope that you are tough. Life isn‘t always nice to the hopeless romantics.“ She removed her engagement ring, handed it to McCoy, and left without another word.

“Why are you looking like the cat who drank the cream?” McCoy snarled at Spock. “She just gave you a racial slur.”

“And she also said that I was a hopeless romantic. Confessing love has really changed my image. I suppose I shall start wearing flowers in my hair and plunking a lyre by nightfall. I have an image to maintain.”

“Yeah, you’re a one-day wonder, alright,” McCoy muttered.

“To use one of your quaint expressions, Leonard, I am going to take it. A left-handed compliment is still a compliment. I need to start loosening up.” Then he got positively daring, for Spock. “After all, I am willing to take you, am I not?” he asked with twinkling eyes.

“You better be, that’s all I can say!” McCoy growled back, but his eyes were twinkling, too. “I just sent my first option on her merry way! I don‘t want to be by myself anymore.”

“You won’t be, Leonard,” Spock vowed earnestly as he looked deeply into McCoy’s eyes. “Not ever again.”

McCoy began to grin with pleasure, and he looked years younger. Spock was going to be good for him.

“I guess that means that these two guys are engaged!” Kirk announced. “And we‘re all witnesses!” He looked back at McCoy and Spock. “Right?”

In answer, Spock took McCoy’s hand for the first time and held it aloft. They faced the audience who were now smiling and applauding for them.

“Cake and booze in the reception hall!” Kirk continued. “Let’s give these two great lovebirds one helluva engagement party!” He glanced back at his friends who were hugging each other rather awkwardly, but sincerely. “I think they’ve finally decided to make it official. Tell me, guys, who proposed to whom?”

McCoy’s eyes flicked up to Spock’s. Would he rather win an argument, or a Vulcan?

“We both got smart, and asked each other, Jim,” McCoy said diplomatically. “Then we both got smarter still, and both said ‘Yes.’”

Surprise registered in Spock’s eyes. That remark deserved a nice reward, and Spock would be giving it to McCoy as soon as they were alone. And just in those terms, too, Spock decided. He would be ‘giving it to McCoy.’ Spock’s dark eyes made that pledge to McCoy so emphatically that McCoy could not misunderstand the Vulcan‘s intentions. McCoy had the grace to blush. Spock was going to be very attentive, as soon as he was able. So, Doctor, came Spock’s silent message, be prepared.

McCoy grinned with pleasure. He was going to get a honeymoon tonight, after all, and it was going to be with the love of his life.

McCoy’s eyes danced at Spock. “Isn’t that right, Vulcan?” he growled, but nobody in the room believed that he was angry. “We both got smart. Isn‘t that what happened?”

“Whatever you say, Doctor. I will agree to anything today.”

“That sure as hell won’t last long,” McCoy muttered under his breath.

“I do not understand, Doctor,” Spock said with a fake innocence. He was already beginning to feel confident of McCoy’s feelings for him.

“I’ll be happy to explain it to you,” McCoy snipped.

“I will hang onto your every word, Doctor.”

McCoy did a double take. The Vulcan was teasing him?!

Jim Kirk felt pinpricks of tears stinging his eyelids. His two best friends were bickering like an old married couple. That’s when Kirk knew for certain that they were in love with each other.

The universe would never be the same again.

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing of Star Trek, its characters, and/or its story lines.


End file.
